King County Prosecuting Attorney

The Docket

January 8, 2018:

Charges Filed Against Employer for Worker's Trench Death: On Friday criminal manslaughter charges were filed against Phillip Numrich, owner of Alki Construction. The charges were made in connection with the death of Harold Felton, an Alki Construction employee, killed as he was working in a trench on a job site in West Seattle on or about January 26, 2016.

“We alleged that the defendant’s criminal negligence caused Harold Felton’s death,” said Mindy Young, senior deputy prosecuting attorney for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s office. “The evidence shows an extraordinary level of negligence surrounding this dangerous worksite." The defendant's bail is set at $20,000. Numrich will be arraigned on January 18, 2018 in King County Superior Court at 8:30 a.m.

November 16:

Sentencing in Fatal Shooting Outside an Auburn Bar in 2013: Sentencing is scheduled for November 17 for a Kent man who was convicted in a fatal shooting outside an Auburn bar in 2013. A jury last month found the defendant, Cleanthony Jimerson, 32, guilty of two counts of Murder in the Second Degree with firearms enhancements and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in the Second Degree in connection with the fatal shooting of Nicholas J. Lindsay, 26, and Lorenzo D. Duncan, 23. The shooting occurred during a fight outside the bar on March 31, 2013. Jimerson will be sentenced tomorrow at 10 a.m. before Judge Janet Helson in courtroom 3H of the Maleng Regional Justice Center. The defendant faces a sentence range of 387 to 584 months in prison, which includes the firearm enhancements. The case was handled by Senior Deputy Prosecutors Jessica Berliner and Dan Soukup.

November 2:

Arraignment for Three Teens Charged in West Seattle Fatal Stabbing: Arraignment was held this morning for three teens charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old boy in West Seattle on September 5, 2016. The defendants, Jonatan Islas-Martinez, 18, Elizabeth Cabrera-Aparicio, 17, and Diego Carballo-Oliveros, 16, were arraigned and pled not guilty to a charge of Murder in the First Degree for the murder of Derek Juarez-Lopez. The 16 and 17 year-old defendants are charged as adults under Washington State’s adult jurisdiction law, which allows for prosecution in adult court for 16 and 17-year-old juveniles who are accused of serious, violent offenses. All three remain in custody with bail set at $1 million. The Court scheduled a case setting hearing for November 15 at 1 p.m. in 1201 of the King County Courthouse.

October 26:

Charges Filed in Auburn Murder: Charges were filed yesterday against a 17-year-old boy who is accused in a fatal stabbing in Auburn on October 22. The defendant, Austin Glore, is charged as an adult with Murder in the Second Degree for the alleged murder of Bryce Pearson, 35. A 20-year-old co-defendant, Michael Sample, is charged with Rendering Criminal Assistance in the Second Degree for allegedly allowing Glore into his vehicle and then driving him away from the scene. The defendants remain in custody. The Court set bail at $1 million for Glore and $100,000 for Sample. Both defendants will be arraigned on November 6 at 9 a.m. in courtroom GA of the Maleng Regional Justice Center.

SeaTac Man Charged in Wife’s Murder: Charges of Murder in the First Degree and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in the Second Degree were filed on Monday against Samuel R. Stills, 52, who is accused in the fatal shooting of his wife, Shinelle Stills, on October 20 in SeaTac. The defendant allegedly shot the victim and then turned the gun on himself. The defendant currently remains in the hospital. After he’s released, the defendant will be booked into the King County Jail. Arraignment is currently scheduled for November 6 at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 1201 of the King County Courthouse. The defendant’s bail is set at $2 million.

October 20:

Sentencing in Auburn Murder: Alexander Joachin, 17, was sentenced this afternoon to 150 months in prison for a fatal shooting in Auburn on October 7, 2016. The defendant ran up to the victim, Erick Valdez-Herrera, 17, and shot him multiple times. The victim was unarmed and sitting in his car at the time he was murdered. The defendant pled guilty last month to Murder in the Second Degree. Joachin, who was 16 at the time, was charged as an adult under Washington State's automatic adult jurisdiction law, which allows for prosecution in adult court for 16 and 17-year-olds who are accused of serious, violent offenses. Today’s sentencing was before Judge Elizabeth Berns at the Maleng Regional Justice Center. The case was handled by Senior Deputy Prosecutor Mary Barbosa.

Sentencing in Fatal Shooting in Pioneer Square in 2014: Kenneth Bernard Jones, Jr., was sentenced this afternoon to 240 months in prison for a fatal shooting on September 24, 2014 at 2nd and Yesler in Seattle. The defendant shot the victim, Melvin Dees, and then fled the scene. Jones, 22, pled guilty last month to a charge of Murder in the First Degree. Today’s sentencing was before Judge Lori Kay Smith at the King County Courthouse. The case was handled by Senior Deputy Prosecutor Adrienne McCoy.

Sentencing Rescheduled in Auburn Fatal Stabbing: Today's sentencing has been continued to January 12 for a 28-year-old man who pled guilty to a charge of Murder in the Second Degree with a deadly weapon for the fatal stabbing of a 21-year-old man in Auburn on February 18, 2016. The defendant, Fritz K. Ratcliffe, was arguing with his girlfriend and then fatally stabbed the woman’s son, Jaseree Fountain, who had tried to help his mother. Ratcliffe faces a sentence range of 158 to 258 months in prison. The January 12 sentencing is set for at 1:30 p.m. before Judge Cheryl Carey in courtroom 3F of the Maleng Regional Justice Center. The case is being handled by Senior Deputy Prosecutor Mary Barbosa.